Spain is a very beautiful country. With places like Barcelona, Valencia, Granada, Sevilla, and countless other big-name sites, I had not heard of the city of Cáceres. Cáceres is very "tranquilo" meaning calm, peaceful, and by my own definition, simple. Cáceres also has a population of 95,000 and sits right in the middle of the flatlands of Extremadura. Does it sound familiar to my Ames folks?
It has been about two weeks since I arrived in Cáceres, and I have started to notice some stress during my time here; an expectation from myself to do something while I am here. Some of these expectations would be traveling every weekend, hiking the craziest mountain ranges in Europe, or even write the best blog. These things are not bad, and I encourage them. But why do I have so much stress about having a good experience? After contemplating this thought for a couple of hours I realized the answer was Cáceres itself, simplicity. This place has reminded me that it is okay to be content with nothing. It is okay to sit in the park all afternoon sipping coffee and reading. That is actually quite luxurious! It is okay to be simple. Listening to the news about murders, pains, and sufferings gives perspective to people, like me, who are blessed beyond belief.
The first thing we should start with before doing anything is gratitude. I believe everyone on Earth has something for which to be grateful. Contentment and gratitude is the answer to a lot of stress in my life. Compared to complexity of Mount Everest, the mountain in Cáceres is a simple rock to step over. But there I am at the top looking at a beautiful view of the Earth with a smile on my face. Thank you.
